Was anyone else who saw the film sad when Nobutada (Shin Koyamada) died? I was like, "Wahhh!" OK, so I also thought he was cute, but the scene of him rushing those soldiers with his swords out...daaammmmnn....
The contrast between the old and the new when Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) and his retainers ride into Tokyo was just startling. And I really felt for Katsumoto -- "The Last Samurai" indeed. And the scene at the end of the battle where all the soldiers are kowtowing...I was very, very impressed.
When this comes out on DVD, I want. I'd even see it again, and not necessarily at the cheap/second-run theaters either.